Selenium boiler



SELENIUM BOILER Filed Sept. 5, 1945 c. s. SMITH, JR.; Erm...

Nov. 30, 1948.

' INVENTOR ZIM/dim Sm/er Jmxl,

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1948 SELEN f fi Cleveland Scudder Smith, Jr.,

BOILER 1lt'est Grange, N. il.,

and Sol Blumenthal, indianapolis, llnd.; said Smith assignor to Samuel Ruben,

New Rochelle,v

N. Y., and said Blumenthal amignor' to P. 'R'.

Mallory da Co.. Enc.,

poration of Delaware Indianapolis, Ind., a corl Application September 5, 1945; Serial No. 614,51

An object of the invention is to provide a vaporizer of the above type having novel and improved details of construction and features of operation.

Another object is to provide a vaporizer into which the selenium may be continuously introduced and which discharges the vapors in a downward direction for deposition onto a base plate which is passed thereunder.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed out more particularly in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself may be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section through a vaporizer embodying -thevpresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on a reduced scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a broken horizontal the line t-t of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, the invention is shown as comprising a boiler having a pair of side walls i0, end walls Il, and a bottom wall I2 provided with a transverse slit 3 through which the vapors are emitted and extending substantially across the bottom of the vaporizer.

A transverse plate i5 positioned somewhat below the top closes the upper part of the vaporizer sectionJ taken on 6 Claims. (Ci. 2631-36) provided with openings Ell to 5t respectively through which the liquid from each tray over flows on to the next succeeding tray. The flanges til to 5t are provided with downwardly extending lips t0 to dit respectively having surfaces over which the overflow liquid drains and positioned to direct the liquid onto the tray below. A heating means is provided for each tray. In the form shown, the heating means comprises tubes 'l0 tot 'l5 disposed beneath the respective trays and contains heating rods 8B to tt respectively which may comprise electric resistance rods or other suitable heating elemen-ts. These tubes l@ to lt are so positioned lthat they are shielded by the downl wardly extending lips dll to tt from contact with the liquid which overflows the respective trays. A pair of tubes l5 and heating elements d5 are shown as disposed on opposite sides of the slit.

i3 at the bottom of the vaporizer.

The molten selenium flows from the lplate IB to the first tray 2li through a vapor lock comprising a plurality of bells 90 which extend through openings in the plate l5 and are provided with slits @l above said plate to receive the-molten selenium, and at their bottom are provided with openings 92 below the level of the liquid on the tray 2d.

In the operation of this device the solid or liquid selenium is supplied to the chamber i6 and is melted by the heat developed by the boiler.` The molten selenium then flows through the slits 9i and onto the tray 20 where a por-tion thereof is Vaporlzed by the heat producedvby the rod 80. The remaining liquid then overflows through the openings E@ in the flange and drips down onto the next succeeding'tray 2| wherein a further and provides an open chamber I6 for the recep- ,being attached to alternate side walls.I The l'trays' are provided with flanges 30 to 35 respectively which are secured to the inside surfaces of the walls I n by suitable means as by welding. The trays are also provided with flanges 40 to 45 which serve to retain the liquid in each tray t` o a predetermined level. The flanges 4 0 to Il are portion of the liquid is vaporized by the heat developed bythe heating element 8l,- and so on, until the liquid reaches some tray such as tray 23 or 24 from which the remaining liquid selenium is vaporized. The conditions are maintained so that the liquid is entirely vaporized or .before reaching tray 25 so that only vapor is present in the lower part oi' the boiler. This may be accomplished by v suitable regulation of the temperatures and the rate of introduction of the selenium into the boiler.

The vapor passes downwardly through the slit I3 onto the exposed surface such as the surface of a base plate |00 which is disposed beneath the boiler. By moving the base plate Illll across the path of the vapors issuing from the slit I3 a de- .posit IUI of selenium is obtained thereon.

The boiler may be made from Vycor or quartz ,glass and may be fabricated from standard dat the slit is. K shielded as by van outside layer of refractory l material for eliminating heat radiation theresheets and tubing which are welded together and annealed for operation. This multiple tray arrangement provides a large active area from which the selenium is rapidly evaporated and permits 'building up a relatively high pressure suited to assure a homogeneous stream of vapor throughout the entire width and thickness of The boiler may be appropriately from.

Itis to be understood that the boiler is suitable for the vaporization of various materials and that Various changes and adaptations may be made therein as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to be limited in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vaporlzer comprising a plurality of vertically spaced trays, means introducing a material to be vaporized to the top tray, means discharging overflow liquid from each tray to the next lower tray, means heating each tray for the vaporization of the portion of the liquid therefrom, and vapor disbharge means located below the bottom tray.

2. A vaporizer comprising a closed chamber, a plurality of horizontal trays disposed in vertically spaced relationship in said chamber, a top closure for said chamber having means to receive the material for vaporization thereon, means including a vapor lock supplying molten material through said closure means onto the topmost tray, a downwardly extending overiiow lip on the free edge of each tray positioned to Ydirect overow liquid onto the tray below, a heating' member disposed beneath each of said .trays for heating and vaporizing the liquid thereon, and a vapor slit formed in the bottom .of said chamber to discharge the vapors therefrom.

3. A vaporizer comprising a closed chamber, a

plurality of horizontal trays disposed in verticallyV spaced relationship in said l chamber, means supplying molten material onto the topmost tray, a downwardly extending overiiow lip on the free edge of each tray positioned to direct overflow liquid onto the tray below, a heating member disposed beneath each of said trays for heating and vaporizing the liquid thereon, and a vapor sli-t d formed in the bottom of said chamber to discharge the vapors therefrom.

4. A vaporizer comprising a closed chamber, a plurality of horizontal trays disposed in vertically spaced relationship in said chamber, a top closure for said chamber having means to receive the material for vaporization thereon, means including arvapor lock supplying mol-ten material through said closure means onto the topmost tray, said trays being staggered and disposed adjacent of the side walls of said chamber, a downwardly extending overow lip on the free edge of each tray p0- 'sitioned to direct overflow liquid onto the tray below, a heatingmember disposed beneath each of said trays for heating and vaporizing the liquid thereon, and a, vapor slit formed in the bottom of said chamber to discharge the vapors therefrom.

5. The method of vaporizing selenium which comprises introducing the selenium in solid state into a heating zone, melting the selenium in said zone, passing the liquid selenium downwardly through a vaporizing zone, maintaining conditions oi ow and heat in said zone suited to vaporize the entire liquid content before reaching t the bottom of said zone, vand discharging the vapors downwardly from the bottom of said zone.

6, The method of vaporizing selenium which comprises introducing the selenium in solid state into a heating zone, melting the selenium in said zone, passing the liquid selenium downwardly through a vaporizing zone in a plurality of stages, maintaining conditions of'flow and heat in said zone suited to vaporize the entire liquid content before reaching the bottom of said zone, and discharging the vapors downwardly from' the bottom of said zone.

, CLEVELAND SCUDDER. SMITH, Jn.

4SOL BLUMENTHAL.

` REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

